Olympus SH-3 vs Pentax K-7

In this article, we will be reviewing the Olympus SH-3 versus Pentax K-7, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the SH-3 (16MP) and the K-7 (15MP) is pretty close but the SH-3 (1/2.3") and K-7 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The SH-3 was launched 6 years later than the K-7 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-7 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting through a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the SH-3 grades versus the K-7 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SH-3 & Pentax K-7. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SH-3 Gallery & Pentax K-7 Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera often, you will want to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus SH-3 provides external dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) while the Pentax K-7 has specifications of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 750 grams (1.65 lbs).

Check the Olympus SH-3 versus Pentax K-7 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at the time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the SH-3 versus the K-7.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SH-3 and K-7 is 88 and 60 respectively.

Normally, its tough to envision the gap in sensor measurements purely by looking through specs. The graphic here should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-3 and K-7.

All in all, both of these cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SH-3 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Olympus SH-3 will result in greater detail utilizing its extra 1MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots a little more aggressively. The more modern SH-3 is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.